Are cases really all that important? Yes! Aside from the convenience factor of being able to transport your instrument in a smaller more convenient package, they are also there to protect your horn. The case nesting is cut from protective … Continued
Does your trombone section have an airy sound? Have you checked the water key corks? It is such a simple thing that makes a drastic difference in the sound. Try using self adhesive neoprene water key corks. They are easy … Continued
Two weeks ago we posted an article about the importance of chemical cleaning in brass instruments. Although most woodwinds are not made of brass, there should still be an emphasis on cleaning the instruments. There was a case recently in … Continued
How to Adjust Your Saxophone Octave Key 1. When assembled, both the neck and body octave keys should be fully closed. If not, flex the bottom of the neck octave key toward the neck cork. 2. When the octave thumb … Continued
Why is chemical cleaning your brass instruments so important? No one would use a table setting day after day without proper cleaning, yet brass instruments are played continuously without regard for health, sanitary conditions, or the damaging effects on the … Continued
TIP OF THE WEEK: In the image above you can see an interesting repair – a Bach Stradivarius bass trombone with a cracked handslide receiver-to-F Rotor casing knuckle. While not necessarily a common problem on bass or F-attachment trombones, it … Continued
Last week, we told you about the importance of oiling piston valves. The same ideas hold true for rotary valves but the application is a little trickier. If you look at the picture at the top of the post it … Continued
Oiling piston valves is the single most important aspect of everyday playing for brass musicians. You can liken the importance of oiling the valves to the importance of keeping oil in your car. Without it, your car won’t run. Without … Continued
When was the last time you changed your drumheads? While the material of the drum shell and the quality of the hardware is important to the sound quality of the drum, nothing contributes more to a good sound than the … Continued
In the world of repair, there is no licensing process. Any person can nail a sign to his or her door and start to work on instruments. There are schools for repair and apprectice programs but there is not a … Continued